Red bayberry plant named ‘N1MR09’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Red Bayberry, botanically known as  Myrica rubra , and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘N1MR09’ is described. N1MR09 produces fruit having improved sweetness, a good sugar:acid ratio, a palatable low resin taste along with uniform fruit size and colour. N1MR09 has the following traits: mean fruit diameter is 24.7 mm; mean fruit weight is 9.15 g; fruit colour is pale red; mean fruit flesh total soluble solids (an indicator of sweetness) is 12.8 ° Brix; mean fruit flesh titratable acidity is 1.25%; and fruit harvest season in the southern hemisphere is mid-November.

Botanical denomination: Myrica rubra.

Variety designation: ‘N1MR09’.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Red Bayberry, botanically known as Myrica rubra, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘N1MR09’.

‘N1MR09’ is the product of a selection program started by the inventor in 2002 in a cultivated area of Knoxfield, Victoria, Australia. The primary focus of the selection program is to produce new cultivars of Red Bayberry with fruit having improved sweetness, a good sugar:acid ratio, a palatable low resin taste along with uniform fruit size and colour.

‘N1MR09’ was selected in 2008 from a mature planting of twelve cutting-propagated genotypes which the inventor had originally grown from out-crossed seed collected from China. The inventor is unable to identify either the male or the female parent. A later planting comprising 141 seedlings from a second batch of seed were evaluated for fruit quality in 2010. The combination of traits displayed by ‘N1MR09’ was not found in any of the 141 seedlings. Hence, ‘N1MR09’ is considered to be a unique cultivar.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘N1MR09’ was asexually reproduced by clonal propagation, using cuttings or by grafting onto rootstock in Gatton, Queensland, Australia. The original clonal propagation to produce the variety was conducted via vegetative tip cuttings.

The cultivar ‘N1MR09’ has not been tested under all possible conditions and phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions, without however any change in genotype.

The following traits have been observed and represent the characteristics of the new Myrica rubra cultivar ‘N1MR09’. These traits in combination distinguish ‘N1MR09’ from all other varieties of Myrica rubra known to the inventor.

-   -   1. Mean fruit diameter is 24.7 mm.     -   2. Mean fruit weight is 9.15 g.     -   3. Fruit colour is pale red.     -   4. Mean fruit flesh total soluble solids (an indicator of         sweetness) is 12.8° Brix.     -   5. Mean fruit flesh titratable acidity is 1.25%.     -   6. Fruit harvest season in the southern hemisphere is         mid-November.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a digital image showing representative fruit of ‘N1MR06’, ‘N1MR07’, and ‘N1MR09’ displaying the variation in fruit size, shape and colour; harvested November 2011 in Nambour, Queensland, Australia.

FIG. 2 is a digital image showing the whole plant of ‘N1MR09’ in Nambour, Queensland, Australia.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description describes the Myrica rubra cultivar ‘N1MR09’ at 7 years. The vegetative propagule was observed in a test plot maintained with standard management practices for commercial bayberry production in Nambour, Queensland, Australia. Certain characteristics of this variety, such as growth and colour, may change with changing environmental conditions (e.g., light, temperature, moisture, nutrient availability, or other factors). Colour descriptions and other terminology are used in accordance with their ordinary dictionary descriptions, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Colour designations are based on the CIE L.C.h colour model and were measured using a Konica Minolta CR-400 Chroma Meter.

-   Botanical classification: Myrica rubra. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent plant.—Unknown.         -   Male parent plant.—Unknown. -   Plant:     -   -   Vigor.—General observations of ‘N1MR09’ plantings indicate             average plant vigor.         -   Plant habit.—Branched shrub, elongate in shape; can be             limbed up into a multi-trunked small tree.         -   Plant hardiness.—USDA Zone 9 (potentially ranging from 8 to             10).         -   Type.—Evergreen shrub.         -   Disease resistance.—No disease resistance data available for             foliar or root pathogens.         -   Size.—Height, 5.35 m, width 3.4 m. -   Fruit:     -   -   Shape.—Spherical.         -   Size.—In Nambour, Queensland, Australia, average diameter             was 24.7 mm.         -   Skin.—Knobby (papillate).         -   Colour.—Pale red. CIE L.C.h color measurements are as             follows: Lightness (L)=19.26±0.30; Chroma (C)=23.01±0.81;             Hue (h)=16.89±0.37.         -   Weight.—In Nambour, Queensland, Australia, average weight             was 9.15 g.         -   Number of seeds.—One.         -   Flesh.—Pink-white         -   Fruit chemistry.—Samples of fruit were harvested from test             plots in Nambour, Queensland, Australia and evaluated for             fruit chemistry. Average fruit flesh total soluble solids             were 12.8° Brix and average fruit flesh titratable acidity             was 1.25%.         -   Fruit production.—Mid November. -   Leaf:     -   -   Length (mm).—91.1±1.5.         -   Width (mm).—27.97±0.56.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Margin type.—Entire.         -   Texture (upper surface).—Glabrous.         -   Texture (lower surface).—Glabrous.         -   Fragrance.—Mildly fragrant when bruised.         -   Color (upper surface).—139A (Light=32; Chroma=16; hue=146).         -   Color (lower surface).—147B (Light=47; Chroma=21; hue=112).         -   Apex shape.—Acute to obtuse, rarely retuse.         -   Base shape.—Cuneate. -   Leaf bud:     -   -   Axillary bud length (mm).—4.50±0.12.         -   Axillary bud shape.—Ovoid to ovoid-conical.         -   Axillary bud number per axil.—5.20±0.22.         -   Axillary bud colour.—165C (Light=67; Chroma=38; hue=65). -   Petiole:     -   -   Length (mm).—10.27±0.24.         -   Surface texture.—Glabrous.         -   Color.—152D (Light=62; Chroma=46; hue=88). -   Stem:     -   -   Shape.—Round.         -   Surface texture.—Woody.         -   Presence/absence of lenticel.—Present.         -   Color.—199B (Light=54; Chroma=20; hue=74). -   Flower:     -   -   Monoecious or dioecious.—Dioecious.         -   Flower form.—Incomplete, lacks petals and sepals.         -   Flowering season.—Late winter to early spring.         -   Flower colour.—None, flowers are apetalous.         -   Average number of flowers per inflorescence.—10.52±5.259.         -   Average inflorescence length.—8.9 mm±0.84.         -   Size.—Very small and inconspicuous. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Average peduncle length.—3.764±1.159. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Number of pistils per flower.—2. The variety produces             pistillate flowers only. -   Seeds:     -   -   Length (mm).—12.23±0.13.         -   Width (mm).—10.03±0.14.         -   Thickness (mm).—8.63±0.10.         -   Shape.—Broad elliptic to broad obovate.         -   Color.—165D (Light=78; Chroma=31; hue=71). -   Shipping and storage characteristics: Fruit decay severity after 15     d storage at 5° C.: moderate. This data is preliminary (based on     fruit harvested from a single location) and may have been affected     by environmental conditions. -   Pollination requirement: Dioecious. Cross-pollination by wind.

TABLE 1 Comparison of characteristics of ‘N1MR06’, ‘N1MR07’, and ‘N1MR09’ Characteristic ‘N1MR09’ ‘N1MR06’ ‘N1MR07’ Tree: habit spreading semi-upright upright Tree: compactness standard compact standard Tree: vigour medium to strong strong strong Leaf blade: length medium medium medium Leaf blade: width broad broad medium Leaf blade: ratio small medium medium length/width Leaf blade: shape of tip blunt acute blunt acute blunt acute Leaf blade: shape in cross concave concave concave section Leaf blade: green colour of medium dark medium upper side Leaf: attitude in relation to upwards upwards upwards shoot Fruit: size medium medium large Fruit: firmness of flesh medium firm soft to medium Fruit: total soluble solids of high high medium juice Fruit: acid content of juice high high medium Time of: beginning of early medium medium flowering Time of: fruit maturity early early medium Fruit: Skin protruberances moderate moderate moderate Fruit: Uniformity of even even uneven protruberances Fruit: Colour of flesh pink-white pink-red pink- white Fruit: Drop or shed before high low low harvest Shoot: internode length medium medium long Leaf: Colour - underside of light green light green very light leaf green Leaf: Undulating margin slightly undulating slightly undulating undulating Shoot : Size of lenticels large medium large Shoot: Density of lenticels sparse dense medium Flower: Number of flowers medium high high per inflorescence Fruit: Colour of skin light dark medium Fruit: Yield medium medium high Leaf: Number of buds per multiple mainly single single leaf axil Leaf: Petiole length medium medium medium Fruit: Resinous taste absent absent absent Shoot: Colour of juvenile black red black red black red shoot Shoot: Colour of juvenile dark red medium red dark red leaf tips Flower: Peduncle length medium long medium Fruit: Seed weight medium low medium

TABLE 2 Morphological Genotype characteristic N1MR06 N1MR07 N1MR09 Leaf length 95.6 ± 1.5 100.4 ± 2.1 91.1 ± 1.5 (mm) Leaf width 29.50 ± 0.5 29.87 ± 0.62 27.97 ± 0.56 (mm) Leaf shape oblanceolate oblanceolate oblanceolate Leaf margin entire entire entire type Leaf texture glabrous glabrous glabrous (upper surface) Leaf texture glabrous glabrous glabrous (lower surface) Leaf fragrance mildly fragrant mildly fragrant mildly fragrant when bruised when bruised when bruised Leaf colour 139A 139A 139A (upper surface) (Light = 32; (Light = 32; (Light = 32; Chroma = 16; Chroma = 16; Chroma = 16; hue = 146) hue = 146) hue = 146) Leaf colour 147B 147B 147B (lower surface) (Light = 47; (Light = 47; (Light = 47; Chroma = 21; Chroma = 21; Chroma = 21; hue = 112) hue = 112) hue = 112) Leaf apex shape acute to obtuse, acute to obtuse, acute to obtuse, rarely retuse rarely retuse rarely retuse Leaf base shape cuneate cuneate cuneate Axillary bud 3.13 ± 0.09 2.63 ± 0.10 4.50 ± 0.12 length (mm) Axillary bud ovoid to ovoid- ovoid to ovoid- ovoid to ovoid- shape conical conical conical Axillary bud 1.10 ± 0.07 1.00 ± 0.00 5.20 ± 0.22 number per axil Axillary bud 165C 153D 165C colour (Light = 67; (Light = 72; (Light = 67; Chroma = 38; Chroma = 58; Chroma = 38; hue = 65) hue = 88) hue = 65) Number of could not be could not be could not be scales determined determined determined per leaf bud Petiole length 9.07 ± 0.23 9.20 ± 0.37 10.27 ± 0.24 Petiole surface glabrous glabrous glabrous texture Petiole colour 152D 152D 152D (Light = 62; (Light = 62; (Light = 62; Chroma = 46; Chroma = 46; Chroma = 46; hue = 88) hue = 88) hue = 88) Stem shape round round round Stem surface woody woody woody texture Presence/ present present present absence of lenticel on stem Stem colour N199A N199A 199B (Light = 38; (Light = 38; (Light = 54; Chroma = 15; Chroma = 20; Chroma = 20; Hue = 76) Hue = 76) hue = 74) Monoecious dioecious dioecious dioecious or dioecious Flower form incomplete, lacks incomplete, lacks incomplete, lacks petals and sepals petals and sepals petals and sepals Flowering late winter to late winter to late winter to season early spring early spring early spring Flower colour none, flowers are none, flowers are none, flowers are apetalous apetalous apetalous Number of species is species is species is stamens per dioecious, dioecious, dioecious, flower variety produces variety produces variety produces pistillate flowers pistillate flowers pistillate flowers only only only Number of 2 2 2 pistils per flower Stamen size species is species is species is dioecious, dioecious, dioecious, variety produces variety produces variety produces pistillate flowers pistillate flowers pistillate flowers only only only Pistil size nd nd nd Stamen colour species is species is species is, dioecious, dioecious, dioecious variety produces variety produces variety produces pistillate flowers pistillate flowers pistillate flowers only only only Pollen colour species is species is species is dioecious, dioecious, dioecious, variety produces variety produces variety produces pistillate flowers pistillate flowers pistillate flowers only only only Seed length 10.60 ± 0.14 12.13 ± 0.16 12.23 ± 0.13 (mm) Seed width 8.63 ± 0.12 9.30 ± 0.13 10.03 ± 0.14 (mm) Seed thickness 7.27 ± 0.12 8.63 ± 0.10 8.63 ± 0.10 (mm) Seed shape broad elliptic to broad elliptic to broad elliptic to broad obovate broad obovate broad obovate Seed colour 165D 165D 165D (Light = 78; (Light = 78; (Light = 78; Chroma = 31; Chroma = 31; Chroma = 31; hue = 71) hue = 71) hue = 71) Fruit decay slight severe moderate severity after 15 d storage at 5° C. Quantitative data are provided as means ± standard error of the mean for n = 30 samples. Leaf and petiole measurements were conducted on mature, fully expanded leaves harvested at shoulder height. Vegetative and floral axillary buds are identical in appearance until bud burst or leaf expansion becomes evident. Hence, no distinction is made between the type of axillary bud. Colour measurements were made using the Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (5th edition) and converted to CIE LCh values using online tables at rhscf.orgfree.com/ (accessed 10 Mar. 2016). Seed measurements were conducted on seed with intact endocarp (i.e., the stone) 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of red bayberry plant, substantially as illustrated and described herein. 